The countdown to King Charles' coronation is on. We're now less than a month out and details on the forthcoming pomp and pageantry are coming thick and fast.
We got a first look at the invitations that are going to be sent out soon, a new portrait of King Charles III and his wife, and found out about the special role Prince George will play in his grandfather's historic day. But before we get to that, let's tackle the part of the palace announcement that raised eyebrows.
There was a huge amount of symbolism on one piece of card, but the part that royal-watchers zeroed in on was at the top of the invitation where Camilla was titled as "Queen Camilla" for the first time. Up until now, she'd always been known as Queen Consort and referenced as such in official documents and royal household communications.
There's always been a bit of sensitivity around how Camilla would be titled, particularly whether she would be known as Queen because it had been destined for Charles' first wife, Diana.
When Camilla wed Charles back in 2005, it was announced that she would be known as "Princess Consort" despite having a right to the title of Queen. But Queen Elizabeth II intervened to change that last year before her death. |
While the title change has everyone talking this week, it's not unprecedented. Many wives of a sitting monarch have often been titled as Queen, with the most recent example being Elizabeth II's mother, Queen Elizabeth.
So why hasn't the changeover happened until now? Well, a royal source told us on Wednesday that the coronation is an appropriate time to start using the title "Queen Camilla."
"It made sense to refer to Her Majesty as the Queen Consort in the early months of His Majesty's reign, to distinguish from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II," the source told CNN.
"'Queen Camilla' is the appropriate title to set against 'King Charles' on the invitation. The coronation is an appropriate time to start using 'Queen Camilla' in an official capacity," the royal source said. "All former Queen Consorts have been known as 'Queen' plus their first name."
Elsewhere on the card, a Green Man -- an ancient figure from British folklore -- is depicted at the base of the invitation. The motif signifies rebirth and the start of a new reign, according to the palace. The intricate design, which will be printed on recycled card, also features groups of flowers fondly held in the King's heart in groupings of three to reflect Charles becoming the third monarch of his name. A lion, a unicorn and a boar representing the couple's coats of arms appears in each corner -- a huge amount of work from Andrew Jamieson, a heraldic artist and manuscript illuminator.
Turning to the coronation itself, 9-year-old Prince George will walk behind the pair at Westminster Abbey as a page. He'll walk alongside Camilla's grandchildren as part of eight "pages of honour" participating in the ceremony.
Head here for more details on the coronation invitation.
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From CNN's Betsy Klein
The King extended an invitation to US President Joe Biden to head to the United Kingdom for an official state visit, which the president accepted, the White House said Wednesday. The offer came during Biden's Tuesday call with the King congratulating him on his coronation, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. Biden talked about visiting the Queen back in 2021 at Windsor and said he "hoped to visit again soon."
"Actually, during that call, the King offered for him to come and do a state visit, which the president accepted, and so they will see each other again very soon," Jean-Pierre said. She declined to provide timing details of a state visit but suggested it would take place in the "near future."
Biden is set to travel to the United Kingdom next week, visiting Northern Ireland, but Jean-Pierre declined to provide details on his meetings. Biden and King Charles spoke for about 25 to 30 minutes, Jean-Pierre said, describing the conversation as "very friendly." She added that they have "key shared values" on issues like climate change.
First lady Jill Biden is set to travel to London next month for the King's coronation, leading the US delegation to the highly anticipated event. Read more here.
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King Charles has shown his support for research into the British monarchy's historical ties to transatlantic slavery, the Guardian newspaper reported Thursday, after it published a document which researchers say shows evidence of a stake in a slave-trading company belonging to King William III.
The document, published by the UK newspaper as part of an investigation into the royal family's historical involvement in the slave trade, shows a transfer of £1,000 of shares in the slave-trading Royal African Company to William III from 17th-century slave trader Edward Colston in 1689. The document was reportedly found in archives by Brooke Newman, a historian at Virginia Commonwealth University, on a research trip to London in January, according to the newspaper.
A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace told the Guardian that this was a subject that the King "takes profoundly seriously." The statement added that the royal household would support the project by offering access to the royal collection and the royal archives, the Guardian reported. Read the full story here.
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Prince William has featured in a podcast episode with Groundswell, a homelessness charity supported by Comic Relief. The Prince of Wales' appearance follows a conversation with Groundswell volunteers for this year's Red Nose Day with Comic Relief.
Speaking to two of the charity's volunteers, Miles and Nawshin, in the podcast, William said: "These stories are so powerful, so inspirational, we should be hearing more of them, we should be seeing more of them, we should be encouraged that there are wonderful people out there and organizations like Groundswell, doing incredible work to help and elevate and put people back on the path that they need."
In the episode, William recalls how he was exposed to the issue of homelessness from a young age and his gratitude that it has allowed him to hear from people with direct experience. Check out the podcast here. |
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A historic document which helped restore the British monarchy after the English Civil War is up for auction and expected to fetch up to £600,000 ($749,000).
Known as "The Declaration of Breda," the document was drafted by King Charles II and his closest councilors in 1660 to set out his return from exile, a statement released by auction house Sotheby's said.
Alongside the Magna Carta, The Bill of Rights and The Act of Settlement, it is one of a handful of documents that mark the "constitutional milestones that lead us towards a modern constitution," Gabriel Heaton, Sotheby's manuscripts specialist, told CNN Thursday. Find out more here. |
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"We're all very excited about Prince George's role in the Coronation, it will be an incredibly special moment."
– A Kensington Palace spokesperson to CNN on Wednesday.
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